Porsche Shows A Gorgeous 917 Concept Marking 50 Years Since The Original Racer

Porsche presented the 917 to the world 50 years ago at the Geneva Motor Show. Today it’s celebrating by showing us an absolutely jaw-dropping concept car. Only this single photo is available now, but the concept is due to go on display at the Porsche Museum starting on May 14 this year. Details are scarce, but the car is being presented as a concept study designed by a small team of engineers and designers. It’s meant to be seen as an homage to the first 917 to win Le Mans in 1970. The car is absolutely gorgeous and exactly the thing we needed to wake up on this Monday morning.

The number 23 is proudly displayed on the concept, which is the same number that the first Le Mans-winning 917 wore. It’s also adorned in the red paint and white stripes from the 1970 car — a “Where’s Waldo” paint job never looked so good.

This concept isn’t all Porsche announced today regarding the 917. Porsche has restored the first 917 it ever made to its original 1969 condition, and it will also be displayed in the Porsche Museum next to nine other 917s. The restoration of this 917 has been a year-long undertaking by museum mechanics alongside former technicians and engineers. Porsche says the top priority was to conserve and reuse as many parts of the original car as possible. Body parts from the front and rear sections ended up having to be reproduced, in addition to the rear section of the aluminum space frame.

Porsche never entered this first 917 into a race, but rather kept it as a test and presentation car throughout its lifetime. The car was repainted several times and even worked into a short-tail version in 1970. A white body with a green front section was how Porsche showed it first in Geneva, and it’s how Porsche will be displaying it at the Porsche Museum. It’ll be there with the concept and other 917s in an exhibit until September 15 this year.